


Don't Stay Together

by Captain_Twinkie



Series: In A World Where We... [5]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Divorce, IM3 mentions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2014-02-26
Packaged: 2018-01-13 20:32:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1239847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Captain_Twinkie/pseuds/Captain_Twinkie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Imagine your OTP getting a divorce. Person A tells Person B that they wish the two can become friends again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Stay Together

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to everyone who has enjoyed this series so far. I love writing to these short prompts. A few of these chapters (and this one..) aren't always 'so sweet they'll rot your teeth'. 
> 
> Enjoy anyway!

Honestly, if you asked Tony Stark about his relationship, no--marriage to Steve, he'd grin fondly and say it was going great! The tabloids would eat it up and snap pictures of the two happily married couple of over five years. 

Funny how all the interviews and tabloids asked if/when they were adopting. Sometimes it got so bad that when it was time to interview the Avengers 'superheroes', that annoying question was brought up nearly every time. 

"I don't mean to rain on your parade guys," Bruce rubbed at his face with shaking hands, "But this is getting a bit ridiculous."

Clint snorted in agreement, "Right on point, man." The archer turned eyes to Steve and Tony who sat silently at the de-briefing table. "Sorry."

Steve's frowned deepened more while Tony shrugged one shoulder, both of their eyes downcast. 

"It's interfering with our team." Natasha commented stiffly. "Fury is going to snap at the bit on this one."

No one spoke after that. 

Instead of Fury getting angry and yelling until everyone was afraid his other eye would pop out of its socket, he just silently stood there for a full 10 minutes with that 'You motherfuckers just fucked this team up' expression until Steve excused himself out. 

When Tony came home (where all the damn Avengers lived too) he peered into their bedroom and spotted Steve sitting on the edge of the bed, face buried in his hands. Tony frowned, slowly creeping in and sitting beside him, confused as to why Steve was upset. So the interviews were focused more on their marriage, that didn't mean they couldn't fix it.

Except, like years before, Tony was absolute shit when it came to making things better. 

Which was perfect because Steve seemed to notice his presence and raised his head and spoke instead.

"Natasha's right."

"Not really. Fury didn't actually-"

"Tony." Steve snapped, Tony blinked. "This is serious. For once in your life..." Steve let out a gush of breath and stood, pacing towards the ceiling to floor windows. "Be serious about this."

A spark of anger flashed in Tony's system but he bit it back and calmly stared over at his husband. 

"I'm being serious, Steve. We can just tell the interviewers to leave our personal business out of work."

"That's not what I meant." The other man replied softly, back turned to Tony as he gazed out into the city below. Tony rolled his eyes and glared at the closed door for a minute but it seemed Steve just wasn't in the mood to elaborate. 

"Can you stop being vague and just tell me what's wrong." Tony said bluntly. 

Steve half-turned, blue eyes reflecting the sun and making them seem like crystals in the light. Even now, Tony couldn't help the hitch in his breath. 

"I want kids." Steve paused as Tony processed this. "Don't you?"

Like expected, Tony was at a stand-still and just sat there gaping like a fish, trying to find words. Okay, not expecting that at all. Steve still had this whole 'follow the rules' gig with Fury but this-this whole kids thing wasn't even in Tony's thoughts. They were married and sure, kids should be adopted by now but honestly, they never sat down and discussed this. Hell, Tony was certain Fury would disagree if they wanted any! This life was dangerous and quite frankly, Tony would be a terrible father. 

And he was still in that selfish stage where he wanted Steve to himself for a while more without adding whiny kids in the equation. 

And of course, just like Tony, he was impulsive and stupid.

"Let's like...buy a..a puppy." Tony tried a shaky smile but Steve instead of laughing and maybe letting it go, he threw up his hands and scoffed. "What? Do you really think we-"

"I think we should! We're bored-"

"Bored?! I'm perfectly fine with just-"

"And you're getting older-"

"Oh! It just has to be about me, huh?!"

"Isn't everything?!" Steve snarled, face up close and personal. Tony hadn't realized he was standing in a defensive posture with his own husband until now. Looking up, he could see how dark Steve's eyes were and not from lust but rage and disappointment. His face was red with anger and his nostrils were flaring-yeah, Steve was pissed. 

Tony dropped his hands which were up in a shoving position and sighed, breaking eye contact while stepping back. 

"I don't get why this is so important right now. We have more years ahead."

At the corner of his eyes, he saw Steve's fists clench but he didn't make another move forward.

"Don't stand there and lie to me, Tony. Telling me we should wait when we both know the entire reason."

Tony growled, "Enlighten me then!"

"Because you don't want any ever. Not even with me and the team for help!" Steve's hand landed on his shoulder and spun him around until they facing each other and finally, Tony saw that tears were lining Steve's blue eyes. "Seriously, I'm not an idiot." He said softly. "Kids just aren't your sort of thing. If Pepper-"

"Pepper isn't here." The brunette said between clenched teeth, closing his eyes tightly against the image of Steve near tears. "Stop crying." He demanded. 

Steve sniffed and let go of his shoulder. Tony waited for more words but instead he was met with the slamming of their bedroom door as his husband walked out. 

****

Unfortunately, the fights didn't stop.

Actually, they escalated to the point where their work was turning into a problem. Every time Steve gave an order, he ignored Tony. When Tony managed to save Steve's life (Hello, he still loved Steve with everything he has) Steve was a total ass about it. It got so bad that Tony literally let go of the blonde in mid-air, listening in sick satisfaction as Steve cursed as he tumbled through the air until he zoomed forward and caught him. 

They thought Fury was going to skin them alive. Or maybe just Tony. 

The disappointment in the team's eyes was etched in Tony's head for days. 

****

As a 'please forgive me' gift, Tony adopted a puppy and placed it in Steve's separate bedroom while the blonde was in the shower. It was a mean thing to do, but he kept the 'I Was Adopted' tag around the puppy's collar. 

Twenty minutes later, that same collar/tag was being thrown into his face while he welded a piece of armor back into place. He ripped it off in time to save his fingers and see Steve's tense back exit the room. 

Later in the dark of the night, he tried crawling into Steve's twin sized bed (Tony hated that Steve just moved out) but barely had a knee on the edge when Steve's eyes opened. 

"Go to your room." He ordered, groggily. 

"Steve." Tony sighed, "C'mon."

"No. I'm serious."

"But the puppy." He whined. 

"He's going back to the center." Steve paused and turned away, "Now leave."

Tony left but now he was worried about this outcome. Sure, they've fought before but never has it been this bad.

 

"Steve, just the man I was looking for." Tony greeted brightly four days later. Steve was sitting at the table, drinking water and panting between each gulp, his white shirt was wet from sparring downstairs with Natasha and his skin was glistening. Tony tried not to just jump his own husband and wasn't that just terrible. Wasn't that why they were married? So he could just...attack him whenever he wanted?

Steve grunted in acknowledgement but didn't stop taking hearty gulps of his water. Tony clasped his hands behind himself so he didn't give into the urge of his earlier thought. 

"We need to talk, I think." Tony began, "I know what I said was...look, I'm sorry, baby. Just-move back into the room and we'll go over everything tonight." He turned a hopeful smile and puppy dog eyes up at the soldier. Steve didn't look very interested and set down his glass with a soft clink. 

"No, Tony,"

Tony blinked several time but the image of Steve being still and obviously not taking his apology wasn't wavering. 

"What-Look, we can adopt! That's what-"

Steve held up a hand and Tony bit down on his cheek to stop his words. 

"This isn't about adopting." Tony opened his mouth, "Okay, it is! But...Tony, look around us." Steve frowned sadly, "Haven't you been paying attention?"

"Of course I have!" He blurted, "We haven't touched each other in weeks! Our bedroom is just mine again! That very expensive puppy is now sitting in Clint's lap and...Steve," He sounded hysterical now, "What do you want me to do here?"

"Nothing." Steve replied softly, voice full of pity. "I've got it handled." The hand on his shoulder as his husband passed was friendly and stiff. 

Tony wasn't sure what was being handled but he knew exactly who was helping along. 

 

"Pepper!" Tony greeted with a wide (fake) grin as her lovely face appeared over his work table. "What brings you on my screen?"

"You called me." She deadpanned. "What do you want? I'm very busy today, Tony."

Tony folded his arms and dropped the fake smile, knowing beating around the bush was just going to frustrate the both of them. 

"Pep, you need to be serious with me here." He pointed at her, "Steve's acting weird and I apologized in everyway I could think of and he won't move back in to my room."

"And?" She prompted.

Tony glared, "What are you two conspiring about?"

Pepper stared at him with an unyielding expression but he could see deep down she was hiding something. 

"Tony, I'm really-"

"Ms. Potts. I'm really worried about my husband and marriage." He leaned forward with the ease of a serious and determined boss. "Now. Tell. Me."

All of a sudden she looked haggard and glanced away for a split second before looking back into the screen, one side of her lips dipping too low for his liking. 

"You'll know soon enough, Tony." Was her response and did he hear a soft hitch in her voice? "All I need to say is you better try harder." With that, she disconnected the call. 

Tony slumped into his chair and stared down at the table, listening to his thoughts rush and the whirling of Dum-E as he cleaned.

For once in his miserable life, Tony actually took her advice. He invited Steve to dinner, dancing halls, interviews with different charities. He bought him a new bike, flowers, a new wardrobe. Took him to museums that he never got the chance before, baseball games, England to see Peggy. Everything the soldier could possibly desire. 

Tony spent every moment trying to please his husband every waking moment. 

Four weeks and he thought maybe Steve would finally cave and allow Tony to hold his hand or touch him. 

Instead, on the fifth week, he came home to an empty Tower and Divorce papers on the coffee table. 

Tony's breath left him and he scrambled to the table to see Steve had already signed his copy. He had awarded Tony everything (which meant Steve didn't want anything-No money, the tower or their possessions that had collected over the years.) He wanted Tony to still work with the Avengers and be Iron Man but either Steve was going away for 3 months or Tony needed to. Fuck, even Fury had acknowledge this! He thought papers could only come 6 months after separation but well, he couldn't hold it past Fury nor Pepper for this quick way. 

And all because Tony didn't want kids!

Without a warning, Tony grabbed the papers and sped to SI where Pepper was most likely still working. He rode the elevator up with his heart pounding and papers burning a hole in his hands. 

Her office door was open and he could see people had stayed for over-time but he couldn't give a fuck right now. He slammed the door wider to gather her attention then made a point of throwing the papers to the floor at her feet. 

"What the flying fuck is this?!" He spat angrily, "Is this an April fool's joke?"

He was aware of the silence on the floor now. Probably people gathering by the door to watch the famous Tony Stark have a moment of pure rage at calm Pepper Potts. 

He expected her to be precise and collected but was greeted by tear stained eyes and a look of defeat in her body language. 

"Oh, Tony." She managed. "Why didn't you try harder?"

Tony's face reddened with embarrassment. 

"I did, Pepper! I fucking did everything he wanted! I flew him out to see his goddamn first love, for fuck sake's! I spent thousands of money and though I can't give a damn because I love the man--I..." He took a deep breath but it was stuck in his throat and he saw the papers. With Steve's neat scrawl on the lines of the divorce papers. His chest began to heave and his head rushed with all these emotions that he fell to one knee, hands braced on the floor. _Just like after New York_ Tony cried internally. But this panic attack was different, it was like someone had sliced open every organ and bled them out, leaving him gasping for blessed air and being denied, having his entire life's work burned to the ground in front of him. Basically, this was it. Steve was his life and there-right in front of him- Steve was letting it all go. Over stupid fucking kids! "Goddamnit, Pepper!" His brown eyes burned but he didn't look up at her. "What have I done? Tell me! Is-is it kids?" He rambled, voice cracking and becoming wet with hot tears, "Adopt me fifty! Now!"

"Please Tony." Great, now Pepper was crying. "Please stand up."

Instead his chest seized and he clutched it tightly, the noises coming from his mouth were inhuman and for a split second he figured this was a heart attack until he was pressed against Pepper's warm but trembling body, her fingers soothing through his messy hair. 

In the years he has known her, they've never cried together like they have right now. Tony wondered if he just broke down in front of her when they were dating, if they'd be together-maybe even married. But his mind could only supply with 'No' because Tony would somehow ruin things and latch onto Captain America-onto Steve Rogers. 

No, Tony was grateful that they were over. 

But now he was losing Steve too. 

Tony Stark wasn't destined to be happy. 

"It isn't because of you declining children." Pepper explained as he sobbed quite loudly on her blazer. His arms were wrapped around her waist like a boa constrictor but the rest of him was limp and half sprawled in her lap. Sometime during his crying fit, Happy had ushered the nosy employees out of the building and shut Pepper's door. "Steve has been considering this for months now."

"He never told me."

Pepper squeezed him harder where her free arm was wrapped around his shoulders. 

"He knew what you'd do." She replied softly. "I had no idea he'd go through with this..."

"I-I did everything." Tony hiccupped. "I hate sobbing like a child." He groaned, unable to wipe his eyes or nose. It was no use, really. It was like 30 years of pent up frustration and sadness catching up to him now. 

Pepper let out a tiny giggle, "Cry all you want, Mr. Stark. I won't tell anyone."

He just buried his face deeper and shut his eyes against the pain. 

"Steve's been observing the team, press and you guys in general." Pepper continued to explain. "The team was taking the blunt, Tony. If something wasn't right between you two, the strategy and togetherness was off. Let's not talk about your move from last time." She scowled sharply, pinching him and he yelped, "Not only was the team falling apart without their Air Control and Captain working together, but the press was on a loose chain and were ruining everyone's words and reputation. Do you realize how many times I had to leave meetings across the world to save yours and Steve's asses from interviewers and paparazzi? I don't know much, Tony, but judging by what your friends and Steve was saying, you two were wasting away."

"Then why did he want kids?" Tony pulled back sharply, swaying dangerously on his knees. "If he knew we were over, why did he want us to adopt? Just for us to turn around a month later and take the kid back to the center and say 'Oops sorry, we were just pretending to be a loving family? We suck at being married because I secretly hate my husband'?"

Pepper shook her head, "He doesn't hate you-"

"Well he doesn't love me enough to fix this and stay!" Tony shouted in her face. He stumbled to his feet and glared at the scattered papers beside them. "Fuck him! He wants a goddamn divorce than he can show up at my door and be a man about it!" 

He turned around to storm out, leaving Pepper crying on the floor as she looked up at him with pleading eyes. Only to face the man himself. 

Steve had the gall to look sheepish until he spotted Pepper sitting on the floor with tears. Then it was quickly into anger.

"Tony-"

"Shut up!" Tony shouted, cutting off Steve. "I'm not going to waste my breath on how fucked up this is. After all I did-" Tony shut his mouth with an audible click of his teeth and just swung his fist until it caught the blonde at the corner of his jaw. Sure, he probably just broke his fucking hand but it felt amazing and he was riding an adrenaline high. The look of stunned surprise on Steve's face told him that had hurt and with a determined, pissed off nod, he maneuvered past the solider and left SI to get drunk at a loud, obnoxious bar.

****

Tony Stark didn't see any of the team or Pepper for two weeks and 2 days until some asshole used their emergency code at his work shop door and let themselves in. 

Tony was nearly buried elbow deep in Iron Man parts, his mouth running over equations and side-tracking when JARVIS was particularly humorous when he heard the noise of the doors opening and paused in his rambling, he glanced over his shoulder to see Steve Rogers standing by his table with his tense posture and deep frown. Tony promptly turned back to his work. 

"Let's see JARVIS. We can scrap the-"

"Sir. Captain Rogers is behind you." 

"No shit, J." Tony rolled his eyes, "I'm not blind. Now, back to what we can build the next model with-"

"I do believe the Captain needs your attention more than this project, sir. I will save your work." And just like that, the screen went blank and JARVIS was gone. 

"I can't believe this crap." Tony muttered as he wiped his hands on a towel and made his way over to Steve. The smile he shot at the blonde was obviously fake and Steve knew it, his wince was clear. "What can I do for you, Cap?" 

Yep, haven't heard that in five years, have you?

Steve held out the stack of papers with a pen. 

"I think it's about time you signed this so we can both move on."

Tony didn't need to look down to see what the papers were about. But he knew Steve was doing exactly what Tony had demanded in Pepper's office two weeks ago. Be a man and bring him the papers. The genius just shrugged, snatched the papers from those large hands and began scrawling his name and whatever else the line called for. Pepper and Steve had done most of it for him and he trusted both of them so he didn't even bother re-reading the crap. When he was finished, he handed both pen and stack to Steve with a flash of a glamorized smile and began walking back to his project. 

Just under the skin, Tony could feel the ache of loneliness and irritation of Steve's obvious lack of feeling towards him now. He had stayed up since leaving Pepper's and thought about what she had gone on about. Sure, he had seen where Steve and his marriage sort of stole the lime light from the Avengers but after a year of it going strong, the team was going strong too. Then, he supposed everything went sort of sour around their fourth year. Steve was edgy and Tony could sense that, his words clipped on the field and they were awkward around each other as Iron Man and Captain America. Though their marriage was full of emotion and passion, those secret smiles and words, the team was suffering. Not only on the field but in the tower too. Natasha was silent about it at first but the others, not so much. Steve, though not forgetting his friends, had made Tony realize he was fine and the brunette escaped. Tony couldn't even remember the last time he had spent time with Bruce. The scientist was in his own lab in his floor, away from the married couple. 

The fighting was about the team and their outlook. Their future, where Steve planned far ahead but Tony didn't. 

Tony was such an idiot. 

Especially when half way through their fourth year, Steve stopped saying 'I love you' and being as passionate. 

Tony was too busy showing off his gorgeous husband and working endlessly on keeping his team safe, that he didn't realize his personal life and husband was pulling away. 

He was hiding and damn, this was like Pepper all over again.

"I'm sorry." Steve's weak voice broke his musings and he started before turning slowly to face the blonde. Damn, Tony would always love him but maybe, maybe this was meant to be. God, he couldn't have anything...

"Don't." Tony waved it away, "It's alright, Steve. I'm taking my leave in a few days. Fury is bringing Rhodey for Air Control. The Tower is still your home...and all that." 

Steve smiled but it was too much like a 'goodbye' expression than to make Tony feel better. 

This was goodbye to their marriage, love and all things that Tony thought he deserved. 

But in the end, Tony would live with that because he still had Captain America to fight alongside and Steve Rogers to be friends with. Right?

Steve bit his lip as if he was concentrating before sighing gently, "Can...Can we be friends?"

Inside, Tony's heart stitched back together and though he wasn't fixed for the best and he knew this was going to put another dent in his heart, he was moving along already. He stepped forward and grasped Steve's hand that was limp at his side and tried so hard to smile but it was just a barely there twitch. 

"One day, Cap." He answered. His brown eyes caught the sight of Steve's wedding ring still laying snug on his ring finger and reminded himself things could still change. 

Steve's hand shake and a weak smile was enough for now.


End file.
